Rupturable microcapsules, i.e., generally spherical shells which are designed to be broken such that material encapsulated therein is exposed to the surrounding environment, have been used for many years in a wide variety of commercial applications. These applications have ranged from using such microcapsules as image sources on a recording medium to their use as sources of fragrant liquid in perfume and cologne samplers.
A wide variety of methods exist by which such rupturable microcapsules can be manufactured, all of these methods being well known to those skilled in the art. These processes may be conveniently segregated, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, into several groups based upon the chemistry used in forming the microcapsule: gelatin systems, melamine-formaldehyde systems, urea-formaldehyde systems, polyamide systems, and polyurea systems. Examples of such processes are provided by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,516,846; 3,516,941; 3,778,383; 4,087,376; 4,089,802; 4,100,103; and 4,251,386, as well as by U.K Patents 1,156,725; 2,041,319; and 2,048,206.
One commercially significant application of the aforesaid methods is in the microencapsulation of fragrant liquids, such as perfumes and colognes, such being necessary in the preparation of fragrance samplers. Samplers of this type are typically inserted into magazines, or handed out individually by salespersons at retail establishments, to promote the sale of the perfume or cologne contained therein. These samplers generally comprise two sheets of material, e.g., paper, which are temporarily bonded to each other by means of a film-forming adhesive which has rupturable microcapsules dispersed therein. This adhesive further bonds the individual microcapsules to both sheets of the material. Thus, when the sheets are separated, the microcapsules will rupture, thereby releasing the fragrant liquid.
One well-recognized and long-standing problem associated with these samplers is that, once such samplers are opened and the fragrance released, there is no suitable means for the user to avoid further exposure to the liquid other than by discarding the sampler. This has been recognized as being of particular concern in respect to fragrance samplers.
In addition, such samplers are constructed in manner which allows them to be effectively used only once. Thus, the same or another user is prevented, from a practical standpoint, from re-sampling the encapsulated liquid at a later time determined by the user, i.e., selective re-sampling.
Thus, there exists a need for a device and related method which would allow a user to sample a microencapsulated liquid and, after said sampling is completed, to avoid, or at least partially avoid, further detection of the liquid by the user. Moreover, a device and related method are needed which would allow one to selectively re-sample the liquid using the same device. The present invention seeks to satisfy those needs.
These and other advantages of the present invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.